The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for heavy snow for much of the state as the storm began this afternoon in Central Massachusetts.

A few flakes came down off and on through the morning, but the storm began in earnest in Worcester about 2:30 p.m. and rapidly intensified. The speed limit on the Massachusetts Turnpike has been reduced to 40 miles per hour to reduce the possibility of accidents as snow coated the highway.

There may be periods this afternoon and evening when an inch an hour falls, and patchy fog is expected to limit visibility as well. Between 7 p.m. and 1 a.m., the fog is likely to freeze and the north wind will pick up.

The National Weather Service is predicting between 3 and 7 inches of snow for the Worcester area, with more expected in southeast Massachusetts due to a secondary coastal storm.

In advance of the storm, Fitchburg declared a snow emergency parking ban, prohibiting parking on city streets between 5 p.m. Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday. Worcester's parking ban is also in effect.

Today's snowfall comes on top of several inches of snow that fell Dec. 27 and 28 in parts of Central Massachusetts.

Frigid weather is forecast for next week, with low temperatures in the single digits on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

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